Halachic Musings
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
In Part I (January 5, 2018), Rabbi Hoffman discussed the sanctity of Shabbos as the soul of the Jewish people in response to Yair Lapid’s exhortation that Netanyahu must sign a dispensation to allow soccer games on Shabbos.
For those who are curious as to what lies behind the prohibition of soccer games on Shabbos, what follows is a discussion of the concept.
The Talmud Yerushalmi (Ta’anis 4:5) tells us of a great city named Tur Shimon, with its own Tomchei Shabbos organization that delivered 300 barrels of material to the poor each Friday. The Talmud, however, goes on to explain that this city was ultimately destroyed.
Why was it destroyed? One opinion says that it was because of untoward activity. Another opinion says that it was on account of ball-playing.
Ostensibly, the cause was ball-playing on Shabbos, as most of the commentators explain. Rav Huna in Midrash Eicha Rabasi explicitly states that the ball-playing was on Shabbos. This Yerushalmi is cited by the Beis Yosef (O.C. 308). Finally, there is a third opinion (see Rokeach Hilchos Shabbos 55) that they played ball on Shabbos and did not learn Torah.
Numerous Possibilities
What is remarkable is that nowhere in these sources (other than in the words of the Rokeach) is the exact problem with ball-playing on Shabbos fully or even partially explained. What was the violation? There is an entire litany of halachic possibilities as to the exact nature of the problem (which, as the reader may have surmised, will be explored), but perhaps the silence of the sources is instructive in and of itself.
Lost Opportunity
Perhaps the reason Tur Shimon was destroyed was that this remarkable town–with such beautiful chesed going on in its midst–should have utilized the Shabbos as a means to further their dveikus b’Hashem, their cleaving to Hashem. Excessive ball-playing, or any other mundane activity, can sometimes be indicative of a lack of such a relationship with Hashem–and that lost opportunity may have been the reason for Hashem not saving this town from destruction.
Carrying
But let’s get to the possible halachic issues involved. One possibility is the prohibition of carrying (not the basketball violation; the Shabbos one). The Machzor Vitri (Hilchos Pesach #94) actually permits a type of ball-playing on yom tov on account of it being a form of simchas yom tov! The responsum of Rashi (285:2) entertains a similar position. But even according to this more lenient view, the permission is limited to yom tov and not Shabbos. Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Kook made this point clearly when he unabashedly castigated a rabbi who thought to permit it.
Muktzah
There is a second possibility. The Shevilei HaLeket (Shabbos 121) considers balls as items of no purposeful utility and deems them to be muktzah. The Rema (O.C. 518:1 and 308:45), however, rules that it is not considered muktzah and that a ball would have utility. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 308:45) rules that it is forbidden to play ball on Shabbos and on yom tov. The Mishnah Berurah explains that it is because he holds that the balls have no purposeful utility and are muktzah. The Aruch HaShulchan tends to be stringent as well in regard to ball-playing on Shabbos.
Leveling The Ground
Another possible issue is the problem of leveling the ground. The ball may cause some ground-leveling problems. It would seem, however, that the ground-leveling problem is limited to games where the ball is to be rolled on the ground as the purpose and method of the game. (Rabbeinu Chananel would disagree with this, but halachah seems to follow other opinions.) Thus, there may be a distinction between soccer and basketball, at least in regard to this particular concern. Some (e.g., the Shvilei HaLeket) are of the opinion that the rabbis therefore prohibited ball-playing even in areas that are paved. There is also the possibility that the noises involved in ball-playing may be halachically problematic, too (ibid). However, the views of the Shvilei HaLeket have not been cited authoritatively by the poskim.
The Great Debate
On the stricter side, it is interesting to note that the Rema’s cousin, the Maharshal, questions the lenient position of his cousin and writes that if he had the ability he would forbid it entirely (Beitzah 1:34). The Maharshal is quoted by the TaZ (O.C. 518:2) and he labels it an “evil custom.”
Case Of Maharitatz
Rabbi Yom Tov ben Moshe Tzahalon (1559—1638), author of the Maharitatz, in the new responsum (#202), discusses the question of a large city of Torah scholars that never had any ball-playing, and then a group of gentiles came and began playing ball. Eventually, a group of young men arose and began playing on Shabbos, with gambling, betting, and eating without rinsing of the hands. Some wished to refrain from forbidding it on account of the position of the Rema. The Maharitatz blasted those who refrained from forbidding it and instructed that those who violated it should seek acts of contrition and teshuvah.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Tur Shimon was a wealthy, vibrant town filled with acts of charity and unprecedented chesed. It fell, according to many authorities, on account of ball-playing that got out of control. Hundreds of years later, in the time of the Maharitatz, another great city also fell victim to Shabbos violation and other violations on account of the inroads made by this type of activity.
Let’s try to prevent Yerushalayim from following in the path of these two cities. Let’s keep Yerushalayim a light unto the world.
The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com.
